New-York tribune., 1887-05-15

rnspector steers is the superincndcnts right bower
H. ia typical police officer. bold self reliant ana quick
~ tbi,k and act He was born to his shield His father
before him wore one, and known to old NeW-iorNrs
a. C,paln Steers. The Inspector though he lhherlIei
h blue CLOTH fairly all the honors OF MS rank
He went upon the force supply just thirtythree
years ago In a few months he regularly appointed
a patrolman He rose gradually aud steadily until nc
was placed in command OF tho Twonty-nnth Precinct,
where the Intrepid Captain williams now holds his deter
minel and undisputcd sway. From that post ne was
taken an his present one where he stands s. u Ia
commanIo OF the police battalion of Ncw-fork rs ute
indicates his duties. He f. literally an Inspector
uis command extends over two districts, nc Is per-
forming his own work and that OF tho official whose place
was left vacant by the promotion OF superintendent
Murray II seems old that the commissioners do not I'LL
this plnce The secret Of their inability to come TO
decision il probably politics"
So long ns they do m the place, Inspector stccrss
command extends from the Battery TO the Harlem Rver
Under him Is force OF 1000 men. He visits every
si,tio h,use at least once week and looks all it,
appointments and affairs. The uniforms the weapons
the records everything under his supervising eye
He knows the record OF every policeman IN NewlorK
lie has "a private estimate placed upon each mans hhess
for spccal duty No commanding officer has the respect
and confidence of his men in greater degree than In
spoctor Steers.
The draft riots first brought him into public notice. and
taught him many useful lessons about how tn deal with
mobs These lessons all his later experiences nave
tended TO confirm and he calmly awaits the time when
disorder and eyfl passion will enable him to show the
peope Of New.York how safe they and their property
are in the hands OF the finest"
81 hardly think the opportunity viii ever come,
though" he said in answer to my questions because
the loafcrs vernin who the leading spirits ora
mob fully realize how hard it would with them II any
such disturbance broke out II such creatures as
Spies and Parsons attempted in this city what they
accomplished in Chicago give you my word for IT, there
roud be no boherng the courts about whether or not
they should be hung The state would never get chance
IN try Them and no twelve citizens would be taken from
their business for weeks together 10 listen 10 the bubbles
and gatherings OF lot OF lawyers to their guilt or IN
nocence.'
"what would you dor
XIII 'em. XIII em like the abominabc dogs they are
I'd Just like to any mob Of Anarchists waving their
bloody flags the streets Of this town! When we got
through with them, the only Anarchists left In New
York would be in the Morguc There ia no citizen here
who loves peace and order than but when 1t Is
necessary 10 fight believe in lighting till there's nothing
left TO lick All ask IN times Of riot Is clear space In
the rear the mob for them to run through, because
they are going rum and Cod help the thugs that don't
| run quickly"
aYou can't always he sure getting clear space can
your
awhy not Riots are never sudden The outbreak
may be They may make their attack in instant, bnt
sufficient warning OF that has been given In the spread
OF discomfort and the assembling OF the crowd. We
always prepared for disorder 1t invariably takes place
I'm some ascertanable neghbOrhood, either where pub
lie meeting OF macontens is to be held, or about the
Offices Of corporations against whom strike Is being
yaged The mob gathers about the object Of their fury
promptly see It that the territory for blocks together
on all sides Of that neghborhood is kept clear Every
street obstruction Is removed Imean that the crowd
shall have every possible chance 10 for their lives
when We begin the attack. Besdcs mean that there
shall Dc nothing behind which they operate, and
nothing which will interrupt progress at them and
after them That was the fatal mistake IN the Chicago
affair The police ought never to have allowed those
fellows speak from wagons Behind the wagons they
could and did do immense deal Of execution The same
blunder made in London in the Trafalgar Square
Socialist meeting They allowed TO erect stands
and platforms from which TO speak The London police
are poor lot however They permitted the mob to make
their way down Pail Mall 10 Hyde Park, breaking win
dows and playing the mischief generally, without any
nolestaon Ia this town should never think OF al
lowing open air meetings OF people whose designs were
reasonably supposed TO bo rotous II they want TO speak
they must herd by themselves In room, where they can
DO easily controlled and where II they are up to any
should we permit them to build platforms which they
could use a barrcade"
| sCan you control such things r.
@Most certainly. Nobody wants to interfere with any
body elses individual liberty in NewYork and the free
public s just the kind of public to stand no nonsense